After announcing two shows: Stadium in Russia distances itself from Kanye West
Kanye West announced two shows in St. Petersburg, but the designated stadium has now announced that no contract was signed and the event will not take place on its premises. The organizers insist: "The show has not been cancelled."
The Gazprom Arena stadium in St. Petersburg announced that the two planned concerts by Kanye West will not take place there, even though the promoters insist that at this stage they have not been cancelled. The two concerts, planned for this coming October, were supposed to make West the biggest Western artist to perform in Russia since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which led to a widespread cultural boycott.
"In light of the many inquiries received at the Gazprom Arena regarding the organization of a Kanye West concert, we officially announce: The Gazprom Arena was not and is not the organizer of this event. We did not sign any contract to rent the stadium for this event. Such a contract does not exist. As a result, the concert cannot take place at our venue," the stadium stated.
This confusion follows the stadium's own social media posts claiming that the most influential musical artist of our time would perform at the venue, even adding: "This is not a joke!". Tickets sold out immediately, including those priced at about 6,500 shekels. Now, however, the venue is distancing itself from the event.
The Moscow-based Say Agency stated they were surprised by the announcement from the St. Petersburg stadium and learned of it alongside the public, but emphasized that as of now, the concert has not been cancelled. According to them, they announced the concerts after the stadium confirmed an official letter, but the rental contract itself had not yet been signed before its expiration later this week.
The attempt to bring West to Russia comes after countries such as the UK, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, and France blocked or attempted to block his shows, amid concerns for public safety following his past antisemitic statements and expressions of sympathy for Nazism. In January, the controversial rapper published an apology and spoke about his mental health struggles. "I am not a Nazi or an antisemite," he wrote at the time. "I love Jewish people."
Even within Russia, the planned concerts did not go quietly. Politician Nikolai Novichkov called for an investigation into West because of his praise for Hitler, and said the concerts should be cancelled unless he publicly declares moral support for Russia and the "special military operation." Legislator Vitaly Milonov suggested that West perform traditional Russian songs at the concerts. "Maybe after that he will stop his disgusting antics and become a normal person," he added.
Say Agency had previously tried to soften the criticism: "Not everything Kanye West said should be forgotten. Many people are talking about Kanye today. Many are trying to criticize him for words said during difficult times. But it is easy to judge based on one statement. It is harder to listen to a person who has been changing the industry for decades. We listened, and we want to remind you."
Despite all this, fans have not been deterred in places where the concerts did take place. The rapper and producer recently performed in front of large audiences in the USA, Turkey, the Netherlands, Georgia, Albania, Portugal, and Kazakhstan, and he has more dates planned in the USA and Indonesia. The concerts promote Bully, his 12th solo album, which was released in March.
